Posthole borer



June 15 1926. 1,589,300

A. MEUNIER POSTHOLE BORER Filed NOV- 29, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l Attorney Patented June 1 5, 1926 UNITED STATES AJZIJMILAII'I) MEUNIER, OF Z'EALANDIIA, SAmT-(lHEWANl,

rosmronnronm Application filed'fi'ove'mb'er 29, 1924. Serial; Nb. 752,883.

The present invention pertains to a novel post hole borer adapted to bore holes for fence posts, telegraph poles and the like.

' The principal object -01" the invention is the provision of a device of this character in which the shaft carrying the au er is adapted to lie in a plumb line regard' 'ess of the position of the carrying vehicle. This object is accomplished by providing an overhead frame above the vehicle and supporting the shaft on the frame by meansof a ball and socket connection. V

The invention further includes special gearing construction to prevent breaking of the gear train between the shaft and the engine due'to relative shifting of the shaft and supporting parts.

Still further, the invention provides a device for raising or lowering the auger shaft as the hole in the rail is drilled or as the The. invention is fully disclosed in thefollowing description and in the accompanying, drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device;

Figure 2 is a plan View; I

Figure 3 is a rear elevation partly in section;

F igure 4 is a detail section of the support for the auger shaft;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevation of the auger shaft; Y

Figure 6 is a section on the line 66' .of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a section .011 the line 77 .of Figure 4; and,

Figure 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fi ure 6. a

heference to these Views will now be made by means of like characters which are employedto designate corresponding parts throughout. r 7 p The device comprises a platform 1. which may be the bottom ..of. .a trailer or other suitable vehicle mounted on wheels 2.. The base carriesanv engine generall .designated by the numeral 3 and prefera ly disposed at considerable distance from the rear end of the platform( An overhead frame 4 1 auger is withdrawn from the holes. This aperture.

having substantially the shape of an isosceles triangle'is supported by meansof a pair of upri hts 5 extending from the rear corners of t efba s'e 1 and joine'dtothe sides 6 of the frame intermediate the. ends" thereof, asshewn by the numeral '7. A pairof posts .8 extend from the sides of the frame I, slightly rearwardly' .of the members 5 and are secured to the ends of the base 90f the frame 4. The frame is further supported by a pair of ibraces 1"0 extending from the platform '1 in such alima'nner .ast o intersect the 'members '8 and 5" at 11 and 1% respectively and. secured to the triangular frame 4 near the vertex thereof .as' clearly shown in Figures 1 and A pair of bars 13 are provided for strengthening the supporting mechanism, these members being secured 'to the members 5, 8 and I0, as shown. in ure 1'. r M "he portion of the triangular. frame near tl18 V6It8X.l'Sf formed in the nature of a table 14 having a central aperture 15 (Figure pair of socket members'16' and 17 in which is received a ball 18. A square auger shaft 19 extends upwardly from the ball,- being also received 'in't'he latter, and rovide'd with a rounded ortionQt) in an 'b'eneatht he lar 21 which rests upon a loose collar 2'2. The latter is provided with. a pair ofie'ars 23 the purpose of which will presently be pointed out. i

'A tube 249 extends across the members 1 0 near the upper ends thereof and is provided with a longitudinal slot 25 The cars receive the lingers 2'6 ofa fork 27, the handle of which extends into the tube 24 through the slot 25 and isprovided with aball 28 received inside the tube. In this manner the loose collar 22; is supported.

auger '29- of any suitable description may he secured tothe shaft 19 by means of coupling 'SO'. It will be understood that the hall and ,soeketconstruction 16-I8 serves to hold the augerpl um'h regardless of the position of the frame 4.

Immediately above the ball and socket joint, the shaft 19 carries abushi ng 31 with which is formed a double gear 32. The .ends of the bushing. are reduced as at 3'3 and received in. the ends of a yoke 34.

Across the posts and near the lower is portion carries a fixed col- Over the aperture are secured a gear 56.

ends thereof is supported a drive shaft carrying a pulley 36 connected to the pulley .37 of the engine 3 by means of a belt 38.

This shaft carries a bevel pinion 89 meshing with a similar member 40 at substantially right angles thereto. The pinion 40 is mounted on one end of a shaft 41, the remaining end of which carries another bevel pinion 42. The shaft 41 is Supported in bearings 41 carried by arms 41* extending from the members 5. Onthe top of the frame f is supported a countershaft f3 carrying a bevel pinion. 44lmeshing with the member 42. Adjacent the shaft is provided a bracket 4-.5 through which passes a stub shaft 46 carrying a pinion 4L8 meshing with the member 4A. In the yoke 34 is mounted a similar stub shaft 49 carrying a bevel pinion 50 meshing with the bevel gear 32. The free end of the shaft 49 has a sleeve 51 pivoted thereto, the sleeve receiving a slidable stem 53 pivoted to the free end of the stub shaft 46. The gearing thus far described enables the auger shaft to be driven from the engine regardless of the position of the frame, the hinged and sliding joints between the members 46, 53, 51 and 49 enabling the relative shifting of parts Without breaking the train of gearing.

A countershaft 54 is mounted on the uprights 5 and carries a drum 55 and spur A cable 57 is wound around the drum and passes over a pulley 58 supported near the vertex of the triangular frame 4, as shown in Figure 1. The free end of the cable is connected to the loose collar 22 through an apertured lug 22 (Figure 5). The shaft 35 carries a slidable sleeve, one end of which is in the nature of a clutch member 59, the other end 59 being en- 1 has a segmental rack 61 secured thereto and a lever 62 pivoted concentrically with the rack and adapted for engagement at various points thereof. The remaining end of the link-6O is pivoted to the lever 62 as indicated by the numeral 63 in Figure 3. The shaft 35 further carries a clutch member 59 rotatable therewith and adapted for engagement by the member 59. A spring 64 surrounding the shaft 85 and engaging the end 59 and a disk 65 carried by the shaft, normally holds the two clutch members in engagement with one another. The slidable sleeve carries a pinion 66 intermediate its ends, adapted to engage the gear 56. By means of this mechanism the cable is normally unwound from the drum as the auger is rotated, allowing the latter to descend into the earth. Likewise, the cable is wound upon the drum to lift the auger when the engine is reversed. When it is desired to turn the auger without per mitting it to descend or ascend, the pinion '66 is merely brought out of engagement with the gear 64 by operation of the lever 62. It Will be seen that the collar 22 to which the cable is secured. acts in permitting the auger shaft to ascend or descend. This collar is prevented from rotating by means of the fork 26-28, the latter being adapted to shift because of its connection with the tube 24 as described in connection with Figures 6 and 8.

' The posts 8 support still another shaft 67 disposed above the shaft 85. This shaft also carries a slidable sleeve, one end 68 of which is formed as a clutch member, while the other end 68 receives one end of an arm 69, as shown in Figure. 3. The shaft also carries a clutch member 68 adapted for engagement with the member 68. The sleeve carries a pinion 70 adapted also'to mesh with the gear 56. From one of the members 8 extends a bracket 71 in which is journaleda worm 72 provided with a crank 73. The worm is in mesh with a wormwheel 74 carried by the shaft 67f The crank is turned when it is desired to raise or lower the auger by hand, the pinion 70 being normally in engagement with the gear 56 due to a spring 75 engaging the end 68 and a collar 7 6 on the shaft. Then the gear 56 is driven from the shaft 35, the pinion 70 may be taken out of engagement with the gear by pulling the arm 69. V r

I While a specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that various alterations in the details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as indicated by the appended claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is l. A post hole borer comprising a-platform, an engine supported thereon, an overhead frame supported above the platform, an auger shaft having a ball and socket connection with said frame, means for turning said shaft from the engine,.a second shaft supported above the platform, a drum and a gear carried by said second shaft, a cable wound around the drum and connect- .ed to said auger shaft, and means for driving said second shaft from the engine.

2. A post holeborer comprising a platform, an engine supported thereon, an overaround the drum and connected to the loose collar, and means for driving said second shaft from the engine.

3. A post hole borer comprising a platform, an engine supported thereon, an overhead frame supported above the platform, an auger shaft having a ball and socket connection with said frame, a slotted tube supported beneath the overhead frame, a fork having its handle passed through the slot in the tube, a collar fixed to said auger shaft, a loose collar surrounding the auger shaft and disposed beneath the fixed collar, the fingers of the fork being connected to the loose collar,,a second shaft supported above the platform, a drum carried by said second shaft, 2. cable wound around the drum and connected to the loose collar, and operative connections between the second shaft and the engine and between the second shaft and the auger shaft.

4. A post hole borer comprising a platform, an engine supported thereon, an overhead frame supported above the platform, an auger shaft having a ball and socket connection with said frame, a drive shaft and a second shaft su'pported above the platform, a drum carried by the second shaft, a cable wound around the drum and connected to the auger shaft, a clutch mechanism adapted, to establish engagement between the drive shaft and the second shaft, and an operative connection between the drive shaft and the engine.

5. A post hole borer comprising a platform, an engine supported thereon, an overhead frame supported above the platform, an auger shaft having a ball and socket connection with said frame, a drive shaft and a second shaft supported above the platform, a collar fixed to said auger shaft, a loose collar surrounding the auger shaft and disposed beneath the fixed collar, a drum carried by said second shaft, a cable Wound around the drum and connected to the loose collar, a clutch mechanism adapted to establish engagement between the drive shaft and the second shaft, and oper- 6. A post hole borer comprising a plat-' form, an engine supported thereon, an overhead frame supported above the platform, an auger shaft supported by said frame, a drive shaft and a second shaft supported above the platform,a slotted tube supported beneath the overhead frame, a fork having its handle passed through the slot in the tube, a collar fixed to said auger shaft, a loose collar surrounding the auger shaft and disposed beneath the fixed collar, the fingers of the fork being connected to the loose collar, a drum carried by said second shaft, a cable wound around the drum and connected to the loose collar, a clutch mechanism adapted to establish engagement between the drive shaft and the second shaft, and operative connections between the drive shaft and the engine and between the drive shaft and the auger shaft.

7. A post hole borer comprising a platform, an engine supported thereon, an overhead frame supported above the platform, an auger shaft having a ball and socket connection with said frame, a drive shaft and a second shaft supported above the platform, a slotted tube supported beneath the overhead frame,-a fork having its handle passed through the slot in the tube, a collar fixed to said auger shaft, a loose collar surrounding the auger shaft and disposed beneath the fixed collar, the fingers of the fork being connected to the loose collar, a drum carried by said second shaft, a cable wound around the drum and connected to the loose collar, a clutch mechanism adapted to establish engagement be tween the drive shaft and the second shaft, and operative connections between the drive shaft and the engine and between the drive shaft and the auger shaft.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand. I

ARMAND MEUNIER. 

